Hello Everyone,
I’ve already been accepted and plan to spend a year abroad, but I can still back out if I like. I am becoming increasingly concerned that I made the wrong choice in choosing to do this so I will lay out my ife as of now, why I am going abroad, and where I am going and then I will wait for responses.
currently I:
attend Kenyon College and have a decent (nearly 3.5) GPA
am fairly involved with campus life holding leadership positions and being on numerous boards and such
am majoring in history and asian studies for which I plan to complete an honors thesis senior year
plan to go to graduate school in history, asian studies, or international relations
from there I will do one of the following:
1. Go on to get a PhD in History and attempt to be a professor (IF and ONLY if I can get all of these degrees fully funded)
2. Work as a consultant or something for a firm like monsanto or another international business that does business in or with south asia.
3. work for the government (in any capacity from fbi to census Bureau to army)
4. Attempt a full bright or work with the peace corps
My Study abroad:
i will spend the 1st semester in hyderabad, india, taking classes at the university of Hyderabad, learning Hindi, and living with a host family. I will have some time to travel around India and plan to visit Madurai, Chennai, Varanasi, Mumbai, and Dehli (where I will do research in the National Archives.)
I will spend the second semester at SOAS in london living independently and continuing to learn hindi. I will attempt to get a summer internship at the british museum or library and will do research at both these institution during the semester,
Do you guys think given my current standing and goals that this experience is worth the opportunity cost of leaving Kenyon for a year to pursue my passion and live abroad?
Research other people working in the areas where you have career goals. I suspect especially for number (2) you will find a number have experience of working or studying abroad (it seems to me to be very strange to employ someone who had never been to Asia to give advice on Asia!). But for 1, 3 and 4 probably much less likely.
Alternatively, if living abroad was truly your “passion” you would not be worried about “opportunity cost” because you would be keen to experience the new opportunities study abroad brings. Have you been told you should have a “passion” so you picked Asia just to have something to talk about? Sounds like you might have spent so long doing things which look good on college applications that you no longer know what you are really interested in. Ask yourself honestly, if you didn’t care what this would look like on your resume, what would you do?
I would go in a heartbeat, I’m more concerned about missing a year at Kenyon and missing out on part of my “experience” there than I am about the resume to be honest and I suppose I should have voiced that in the initial post.
What opportunities does going cost you? a more significant ‘leadership’ position? Remember that you aren’t in high school any more: ECs are only relevant if they bring something to what you do next. Given that you don’t know what you want to do next you don’t even know which ECs will matter.
fwiw, PhD programs in the US are normally fully funded. However, based on your post you are a good ways away from being sure enough about your interests to sign up for 5-7 years of intensive work in one field.
also, fyi, internships in the UK are paid, scarce and competitive, and for both the British Museum and Library tend to be for grad students.
You are on track to graduate with a solid but unexceptional humanities degree from a strong but not wowza name college. Based just on these 2 posts I would go with going abroad- but you have to decide for you.
I would say go, it will introduce you to things you cannot even imagine and may change or focus your direction in life. It will broaden you far more than another year at Kenyon would.
I’ve been talking with my advisor today and I think we have come up with a game plan. I was very concerned with what I would gain from living in the UK as I’m from a fairly large American city and have been all over the US and I think it would be best if I were to do the year for me to stay in India both semesters to strengthen my connections, language skills, and ability to live in a different culture, and if it turns out I hate India I can always come back to America for the second semester.
sounds like a plan! prospects for serious language and life skills, but with a back door if you are overwhelmed. fwiwi, expect some lows (would you get through a year anywhere without some bumps?!) - don’t let them throw you! there are things you can to to get through them.
Also, if possible, get your parents to come see you after you have been there for 3 months or more- you and they will be dazzled by how much you know / have learned / have grown. It’s fun for the student to realize that they are actually the expert (comparatively speaking!) and it’s fun for the parents to see their fledgling fly.
yep sounds good!! Thank you all for your answers!!
employers like students who have studied abroad
It would be great to know what you’re up to. I grew up in Hyderabad and I am very excited that someone is going there as an exchange student.